A mountain gorilla dies in the arms of a caretaker in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The park officials shared the heartbreaking image. Ndakasi, an orphan gorilla, was found by rangers in 2007 after her mother was allegedly killed by militias.Â
In a heartbreaking scenario from the Virunga National Park, Ndakasi took her final breath. She was in the arms of her caretaker. Ndakasi “took her final breath in the loving arms of her caretaker, Andre Bauma,” says a statement from the Virunga National Park.Â
It is a privilege to support and care for such a loving creature
She lost her life a month ago following a long illness at the park’s Senkwekwe Center. She lived there for almost a decade, says the statement. “It is a privilege to support and care for such a loving creature, especially knowing her trauma at a very young age,” Bauma says in a statement. He adds Ndakasi’s “sweet nature and intelligence” have help him “to understand the connection between humans and Great Apes and why we should do everything in our power to protect them.”
“I am proud to call Ndakasi my friend,” he says. “I love her like a child and her cheerful personality brought a smile to my face every time I interacted with her. She will be missed by all of us at Virunga. We will be forever grateful for the richness Ndakasi brought to our lives during her time at Senkwekwe.”
Ndakasi became popular after she posed for a selfie with Ndeze and park ranger Shamavu. He states he was examining his phone.Then he saw two female orphan gorillas mirroring his actions. Therefore, he snapped a photo with them. The gorillas appear to be posing for the camera. When Shamavu shared the photo on social media, it received hundreds of likes and comments. Ndakasi’s life reflects in the documentary Virunga.
